The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) is pleased that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance has put forward recommendations that will help support forest sector innovation and transformation.
The committee tabled its pre-budget report yesterday. It recommends that the Government of Canada strengthen its commitment to Canada’s forestry sector including support for the manufacturing, innovation and promotion of forest products. The committee also said there should be measures to support Canada’s softwood lumber producers consistent with Canada’s international trade obligations.
FPAC has been seeking a renewed partnership with the federal government to build a world-leading clean innovative sector, a green economy, and support and grow well-paying jobs in rural and northern communities. This includes the need to de-risk the commercialization of new world-leading advanced products and processes. Nine jobs are created for every million dollars in value add in the forest industry—a higher multiplier than other natural resource sectors.
“We are pleased that the Committee has recognized the need for an ongoing partnership between the Federal Government and the forest sector,” says the CEO of FPAC, Derek Nighbor. “Almost a million families across Canada depend on our industry for their economic wellbeing. I look forward to working with the Federal Government to help implement these committee recommendations.”
FPAC is also welcoming the committee’s recommendation for investments to improve competitiveness and address climate change. The forest products industry was the first sector to voluntarily commit to action towards Canada’s climate change goals. Last May, FPAC launched its 30 by 30 Climate Change Challenge to reduce 30 megatonnes of GHG emissions per year by 2030.
